Glass sheet drawing apparatus



May 12,1931.

P. ESCOLE GLASS SHEET DRAWING APPARATUS Filed Deo.

Patented May Y 12, 1931A UNITED STATES PATENT yOFFICE PAUL ESGOILE, 0FJEUMONT, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 ATELIERSv DE CONSTRUCTlON & FONDEBIES DEJEUMONT, 0F J EUMONT, FRANCE, A FRENCH SOCIETE ANONYME GLASS SHEETDRAWING 4AIPARA'JTII'S Application iled December 12, 1928, Serial No.325,454, and in France May `5, 1928.

This invention relates to apparatus for drawing glass in sheets by meansof movable rollers.

These apparatus generally comprise rollers mounted on horizontal axesand juxtaposed in pairs. In each pair, one roller is driven by externalmeans, its axis being fixed, and this roller transmits its movement bymeans `\of' gears to the other or driven roller, of

which the axis can be displacedf Thus a variable separation can beobtained between the rollers of a single pair. The necessary pressure ofthe second roller against the first or driving roller is ensured bylevers and counterwcight's.

-The invention .has for its principal object to improve and render moresensitive the suspension of the driven rollers of the apparatus. v

Another object is to provide for driving the rollers by a ebleconnection with the driving means, allowing the suppression of the gearwheels with long teeth which are usually employed for transmittingmovement from the one roller-to the other of each pair and in ordetoaccommodate the variable separation of the two rollers. n accordancewith the invention. these rollers are itted with bearing bushes'ospherical external shape at their middle, in which the trunnions of thesaid rollers can revolve without possible wedging. Knife edge supportsare arranged on the inter-section of the two arms of bell crank leverssupporting the bearing bushes in such a way that the levers canoscillate, following the movements of therollers with the minimum ofresistance, one extremity of each bell crank lever constituting thebearing for the roller trunnion.

The rollers are driven by means -of an elastic connection with thedriving means, allowing the suppression of gear wheels with long teeth.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the invention, there isrepresented upon Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings aglass-drawing apparatus constructed accordance withthe invention.

Figure 1l is an elevation of the apparatus. Figure 2 represents thedevice ensuring the pressure of the-driven roller against the 2 showingalso the flexible means for driving the rollers.

Figure 4 shows on a larger scale .the inclined position which thetrunnion of the` driven rol-ler can take up in its bearing block. Figure5 shows also on a larger scale the novel method of suspension of thelever controlling -the pressure of the driven roller against thejuxtaposed driving roller.

In'these drawings, l is the driving roller and 2 is the juxtaposeddriven roller. The rollers land 2 (Figure 3) rest by means of theirtrunnions 1', 2 respectively in suitable bearing bushes 16 and 18. Thebushes 16 are carried by the frame of the apparatus and the bushes 18are mounted externally of the frame in a kind of bearing block 17 formedby one end of a bell crank lever 19 (Figure 2).

-Naturally suitable openings 13 areprovided in the frame 14 in order toallow the free pas sage of the trunnions of the rollers 2.

The lever 19 carries at its other extremity an adjustable counter-weight12. The five pairs of rollers 1 and 2, represented in Figure V1, arearranged yin the same manner and at suitable distances vertically fromone another. f

The objects in view are obtained by means of the following devices (1)The trunnions 2 of the roller 2 revolve in bearing bushes 18ct sphericalexternal shape at their'middle parts 18 and adapted kto rock or roll inthe bearing blocks 17 constituted by one end of the bell crank levers 19see Figure 3 and more particularly Figure 4.

It will be understood that this arrangement allows the trunnions alwaysto place themselves in a suitable way whatever be their inclination,which obviates any wedging of the trunnions in their bearing bushes uponthe passage of a foreign` body. It results from this arrangement thatthe high supplementary resistance opposed by this fact in the usualapparatus is never manifested.

(2) ach bell crank lever 19, instead of presenting a hinge such asthatof an ordinary ydriven roller 2, opposing the minimum resistance tothese movements.

(3) The vertical driving shaft 21 (Figure 3) is mounted upon a separatesupport 28A placed at apcertain distance from the apparatus proper, andthe transmission is effected y by the intermediate parts which will bedescribed hereafter.

The support 28 is traversed by horizontal shafts 24 and 27 situated inthe same plane, and substantially in line with the rollers 1 and 2respectively.

The shaft 24 is driven by the shaft 21 by means of bevel toothed wheels22, 23, and it Y drives the shaft 27 by means of two wheels 25 and 26 offine tooth-pitch, arranged on the opposite side of the support 28.

The shafts 24 and 27 respectively transmit their movement to thetrunnions of the rellers 1 and 2 by intermediate shafts 29, 30; theselatter are connected at each end by universal joints 31, on one hand tothe shafts passing through the support 28 and on the other hand to thetrunnions of the rollers.

It is possible, evidently, to substitute for the intermediate shafts 29and 30 and the joints 31, either very flexible rods, assembled in anysuitable way, for example by caps fitted over the ends of the parts tobe connected, or other flexible connecting means. l i

It will be understood that this novel method of driving allows thesuppression of gear wheels with long teeth and the disadvantagesinherent in these devices.

The present arrangement ensures smooth and regular rotation of therollers; consequently the causes of breakage are very much reduced. i

Moreover, the expansion of the apparatus under the influence of heat cantake place in all directions, without interfering with thc manufacture,by reason of the utilization of flexible intermediate members for thetransmission of the drive.

Lastly, theapparatus is rendered more accessible by the separation ofthe gear wheels fromthe frame 14; windows and inspection doors 15 can infact be placed level with each pair of rollers without being interferedwith by the mechanism. ,l

The apparatus described operates in the same way as the ordinaryapparatus, but it `will b e noted that if a foreign body such as 32,Figure 3, is introduced between two juxtaposed rollers, then as aresultof the improvements described above, the roller 2 moves easily away fromthe roller 1, the resistances to be overcome being reduced to theminimum, and the pressure exerted at 33 increased only slightly comparedwith the normal pressure. As soon as the foreign body 32 escapes fromthe rollers 1 and 2, the roller 2 comes without delay to press againupon the sheet for the whole of its width. Consequently the passage ofthe foreign body causes only an inlsignificant disturbance of shortduration.

The construction described above is given only by way of example; it isevident that the arrangements previously enumerated may be applied toall machines of the Fourcault type for drawing glass. It is in factpermissible without exceeding the scope of the invention to arrange theconstituent elements of the novel improved apparatus in such a way as toobtain modifications behaving in practice in the same manner as theexample described.-

lVhat I claim is 1. In glass sheet drawing apparatus including a pair ofroliers and means for pressing said rollers against opposite faces ofthe sheet, a suspension device for the movable roller, comprising abearing bush for the trunnion of said roller, a urbearing block throughwhich pressure is exerted upon said trunnion, and a spherical seating ofsaid bush within said bearing block.

2. In glass sheet drawing apparatus, including a pair of relativelymovable rollers and means for pressing said rollers against oppositefaces of the sheet, a suspension device for the movable roller,comprising a weighted bell crank lever, a fixed pivot for said lever,and a bearing bush for the trunnion of said roller, said bearing bushhaving a spherical seating within one arm of said bell crank lever.

3. In glass sheet drawing apparatus, including a pair of relativelymovable rollers and means for pressing said rollers against oppositeAfaces of the sheet, a suspension device for the movable roller,comprising a bell crank lever, a knife edge pivot for said bell cranklever, said knife edile being lfixed upon the frame of the apparatus atthe point of intersection of the two arms of said bell crank lever, anda bearing` bush for the trunnion of said roller, said bush having aspherical seating in the extremity of one of the i bearing bush for' thetrunnion of 'said roller,

said bush being exibly mounted insaid bell crank lever, a painointermeshing gears mounted at xed centers, and exible drivingconnections between the trunnions of said rollers and said intel-meshinggears.

5. In glass sheet drawing apparatus, in'- cluding a pair of relativelymovable rollers v and means for pressing said rollers against ofintermeshing gears mounted at fixed cen-` opposite faces of the sheet, asuspension device for the movable roller, comprising a bell crank lever,a fixed pivot for said lever a bearing bush for the trunnion of saidroller,

said bearing bush having a spherical seating within one extremity ofsaid lever, and a pair ters for driving said rollers, each of said gearsbeingfiexibly connected to the respective roller by an intermediateshaft having universal joints at its extremities connecting with thegear and roller.'

Intestimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

PgUL ESCOLE.

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